In life, as in a garden, you reap what you sow.
~Nancilee Wydra- Feng Shui in the Garden

Nothing makes me feel better than being outside on a warm, sunny day working in my garden. I relax and have time to think. The stress melts away as I pull weeds and dig my hands into the soil. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when the flowers bloom and the fruits and vegetables bear fruit.

When harvest time comes I enjoy sharing my bounty with friends and family.

Gardening is a wonderful way to relax, enjoy nature, live green and save money. Growing your own fruit or vegetables can dramatically slash your grocery bill.

Just a few plants can keep you stocked for months. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - Patryk Galka

The biggest thing right now is being green, everybody’s doing it from celebrities to your neighbor on the corner. You may be wondering though, what can you really do to live a greener life that doesn’t cost a fortune or have you munching on granola.

Trying to wade through all the green information floating around out there can be difficult. Everyone’s popping up with green tag lines and green products, but is throwing out all your old stuff and buying new eco-friendly products going to solve anything? No, it just leads more stuff in the landfill which defeats the purpose of going green.

Here are simple ways you can go green without going broke or changing your lifestyle very much. These simple things can even save you money. (continue reading…)

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The barometer is showing fluctuations. The days may be hotter than the evenings and nights. At this particular time it is very likely that you catch cold and flu viruses. The cold and flu season typically begins as early as October and usually continues until April. Here are few self- care tips to help you and your family members prevent cold and flu, and recover from them sooner. Note: It is always a good idea to consult your physician in case you exhibit any of the symptoms of cold or flu.

Check symptoms for common cold like runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough and/or mild fatigue. It is usually caused by a virus. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - marcelmooij

Many of us spend a lot of time sitting in our chair at a desk or near the computer table. People say that they have a 9 hours job and spend a lot of time in commuting so they don’t find enough time to do exercise or stretch their body. But finding a break in between your work and doing some stretching can be a very good and easy way to remain fit and away from many health issues. You body gets stiff and starts aching if you remain in the same position for a long time. If your work requires you to remain in the same posture all the time, you might develop some orthopedic problems over the time. Thus, getting a couple of breaks and doing some stretching at work place is a good idea. The stretching exercises will give your joints mobility and make them more stable. At times you may find it difficult to bend and tie up shoes or zip up a dress. These stretching exercising can help you in maintaining the simple range of motion of your body and tasks easier.

Always keep in mind not to over stretch beyond the point of pain. For more tips on stretching read: Exercise mistakes (continue reading…)

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Have you ever gotten a feeling that your resources are just going to end and there is nothing left you can use for going on further in life? Stress has become an essential part of our lives just like eating, drinking and breathing. Our body’s energy bank needs to do intensive rebuilding when it is in a situation of stress. Rest and relaxation comes into play at that time. Our bodies have the parasympathetic nervous system which works during the day and stimulates the activities associated with “fight or flight” reaction when we work. It is in “rest and digest” mode that we renew our energy stores during sleep or relaxation. But if you are continuously under stress at home and in workplace, you may develop tension and frustration. (continue reading…)

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In ancient times, cinnamon was more expensive than gold. It is processed from the cinnamon tree, a small evergreen tree. Cinnamon is an excellent source of minerals, fiber, manganese, vitamin C and K and iron. Numerous health benefits of cinnamon were known even thousands of years ago. The Indian and Chinese traditions have revered the astonishing healing power of it centuries ago. Its superpower was used to treat health conditions like indigestion, cramps and colds. Additionally, cinnamon was considered as a spice which may help to improve energy, vitality and circulation in the body.

The best thing is that it can be added anywhere at any time! You can add it to the pancake batter, cake mix or cookie mix or sprinkle it on your favorite drink or bun, doughnuts or pretzel. Cinnamon can be obtained in stick or in ground form. Cinnamon sticks can be stored up to one year where as ground cinnamon doesn’t hold much after six months. You can buy a ground cinnamon pack from the store which is as good as the freshly grounded cinnamon. (continue reading…)

ⓒ iStockPhoto - LajosRepasi

There is a close similarity between choosing a right gym and a new restaurant. You often visit a restaurant referred by your friend, and if you like the restaurant, you go there again and again. The same is the case with a good gym. If it goes with your own personality and keeps you motivated, you feel like going there every day. You visit the gym on a regular basis to exercise. Joining a gym is also associated with a large financial commitment, so it becomes even more important to do some research work before you choose a gym. Be picky, spend some time talking with friends, visiting gyms and browsing internet. Shop around and select the best one for yourself.

Here are a few points to be taken care of while choosing a gym:

Facilities

When you first visit the gym, schedule a tour and bring questions. Look at the equipment and other amenities. The machines are indicator of the maintenance level of the gym.  Try to get an appointment during the time when you exercise usually and notice if members have to wait around the popular machines at the times you would be exercising. Find out if there is any time limit to use the cardio machines. There are few gyms which do not allow to use the cardio or other popular machines for more than a specific time limit. (continue reading…)